Rick Durham, Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky
 

Miniature roses.

Roses are a popular gift on Valentine's and Mother's Day. If you haven't noticed, there are now many varieties of miniature roses on the market that can serve a dual purpose. Use them as gifts on special occasions and then add them to the landscape. They make great additions to rock gardens or can be used as a short hedge. Better yet, grow them in containers in your landscape so that they can be moved indoors for decorating on special occasions.

Most miniature roses are hardy and will flourish for many years outdoors if cared for properly. Miniature roses given for Valentines Day should be kept indoors until the threat of frost is past. Even though these plants are quite hardy, they will not withstand frosts when actively growing. For most parts of Kentucky it would be safe to transplant these actively growing roses in early to mid May. The plants will need a sunny location outdoors but they should be introduced to full sun gradually. First place the pots outdoors in a shady location and each day move it to a slightly sunnier spot. After a week to 10 days, the plants should be exposed to fairly full sun and be ready to transplant.

Keep plants well watered, but water the base of the plant, not the foliage. This reduces problems with disease. Also fertilize regularly with a complete fertilizer according to label directions. Remove faded blooms and trim back longer shoots to encourage bushier growth. In late winter, prune back at least half of the stem length, or even prune back individual stems to the lowest, outward facing bud. If your plants are growing in containers, sink the entire container into the ground during winter, or cover the containers with mulch to insulate the root system from extreme cold.

Diseases such as black spot and powdery mildew may be a problem on miniature roses as they are on the full sized plants. Disease may be less severe if plants are placed in an area where they receive morning sun and good air circulation. Diseases can also be controlled with fungicide applications. Contact your county extension agent for a recommended list of fungicides to use on roses. The most serious insect pest of miniature roses are Japanese beetles, aphids, and spider mites. The beetles can be picked off by hand, and mites and aphids can be controlled with sprays of insecticidal soaps and summer oils that pose little threat to humans or the environment.

So as you are shopping for flowers this spring, why not try some miniature roses. The cost is similar to cut flowers, and the plants can add beauty to the landscape for years to come.
 

Forcing branches of woody plants into flower.

Winter can be dreary at times. A few branches of flowers from the garden would give us hope that spring is just around the corner. Why not force some branches from spring-flowering trees and shrubs into flower early? Some plants well suited to forcing include forsythia, red maple, spirea, and dogwood. Others include apples, pears and peaches, as well as crabapples and ornamental pears.

Follow good pruning practices when you remove branches. Prune back to an outward facing bud or remove branches entirely by cutting back to a natural branch point. A first priority for pruning would be branches that appear diseased, crowded, or growing downward. Once you have brought the branches indoors, make a fresh slanted cut at the base of the branch just before you add it to a vase. Place the branches into slightly warm water containing a floral preservative. You can make your own preservative solution with 2 cups lemon-lime soda, 2 cups water, and ½ teaspoon chlorine bleach. Keep the branches in a cool (60-65F) area, away from direct light, and change the solution every 4 or 5 days. Once flower color is evident the branches can be moved to a well-lit room and arranged to suit the occasion.
 

2002 All-America Vegetable Selections.

This is certainly the year for vining vegetables from the All-America group. This year's winners include two pumpkins, a winter squash, a cucumber, and a basil. This information comes from All America Selections (www.all-americaselections.org) and from 2001 observations of these varieties at the University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington.

Basil 'Magical Michael' If you've grown basil, you know that the plants can get somewhat tall and lanky. Magical Michael has a more compact growth habit. The plants reach about 15 inches in height with equal spread. The flowers are purple and white and the leaves have good flavor for cooking or salads. As with all basils, don't be too hasty in transplanting these plants to the garden. Basils like warm conditions (both air and soil temperatures) for best growth. Since this is a new variety, you may not be able to find plants of Magical Michael in garden centers this spring. If you start your own transplants, try germinating on a warm sunny window sill about 4-6 weeks before transplanting outdoors.

Cucumber 'Diva' In our trials, we found Diva to be somewhat slow to begin producing fruit, but once fruiting began, yields were very good. The plants are vigorous with vines reaching at least 5 to 6 feet in length. The cucumbers can grow quite large but are best if harvested when they are about 4 inches long. We grew plants without supports, but they may also be grown on a trellis.

Pumpkin 'Orange Smoothie' This is a medium-sized pumpkin that reaches about 5 to 8 pounds in size. As the name suggests, the surface of the fruit is very smooth. This characteristic and its smaller size will likely make it a favorite among the children for pumpkin painting. It is also more compact than most pumpkins with vines that only spread 4-5 feet. Pumpkins grow best under warm conditions, so wait until the soil and air temperatures are consistently warm to plant. Orange Smoothie reaches maturity is about 90 days.

Pumpkin 'Sorcerer' This is a large pumpkin reaching 15 to 20 pounds at maturity but the vines remain fairly compact. The pumpkins can be used for decorations, carving, or cooking. The fruit's skin color is an attractive dark orange at maturity. Fruit generally matures 90-100 days after planting.

Winter Squash 'Cornell's bush Delicata' You may see this variety listed as simply Delicata. Although this is an attractive squash, with cream skin accented by green stripes or flecks, the squash was selected primarily for it superb eating quality. The compact plants spread only 3-4 feet with fruit that are about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. The fruit will mature about 80 days after planting.

Tropical foliage makes a great summer groundcover.

Many of the plants that have been growing on your window sill over the winter can become great additions to the landscape over the summer. In our trials at the University of Kentucky - Lexington Fayette County Arboretum, we have found a couple of tropical plants that make excellent summer groundcovers. These are grape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia) and Tahitian bridal veil (Gibasis pellucida).

Grape ivy reached a height of around 8 to 10 inches and formed a fairly dense mat of foliage. The plants were growing in semi-shade, but I would expect them to do well in fairly high light to even full sun if they receive plenty of water. Foliage color is a bright, translucent green which makes the plants very attractive. One note: to the untrained eye, grape ivy looks a lot like poison ivy in the landscape. Look for forked tendrils on grape ivy which are lacking on poison ivy. If poison ivy is a frequent weed in your beds, distinguishing these two might be a problem.

The Tahitian bridal veil were grown in partial shade, but just with grape ivy, they would likely tolerate much higher light intensity, especially with adequate moisture. The plants had dark green, fine-textured, ivy-like foliage that was highlighted with small, white flowers. Plants reached a height of 10 to 12 inches.

Of course, neither of these plants are cold hardy. Planting should be done after the threat of frost (around Derby Day in central and eastern Kentucky, but earlier in the western part of the state) and plants will need to be removed after the first killing frost (usually around October 15^th). To have sufficient numbers to transplant to the landscape, you may need to start new cuttings of these plants each spring. Here is a year-round guide for producing your own cuttings for transplanting to the landscape. In February or March, take stem tip cuttings from your plants growing in the house. Choose stem tips that are actively growing, cut them about 3 to 4 inches long, and remove the lowest leaves. Insert the stems in moist potting medium and enclose the pot (or cover the top of the pot) with a plastic bag to increase the humidity around the cuttings. Place a small slit in the bag to ensure some air movement and place the cuttings out of direct sunlight. Check regularly to ensure that the potting medium stays moist. After a couple of weeks, check to see if cuttings are forming roots. When roots are present, increase the slit in the plastic cover every few days until the plants are growing without the cover at all. Also, move plants into brighter light as the cover is removed. As cuttings root, transplant into small pots and grow them on until they can be moved to the landscape. Pinch out terminal buds occasionally to encourage the plants to branch and produce fuller growth. Transplant to the landscape according to the schedule given above. If you want transplants for next year, take cuttings from outdoor plants in September and follow the same procedure as described above for rooting. Once rooted, plant in a pot or hanging basket. These plants will serve as attractive houseplant during the winter-keep them near a bright window.